Mitsuhiko Akita

Aiko 16 years old is a novel by Akemi Hotta, set in Nagoya this story depicts the school life of Aiko Mita, a high school student who belongs to the Japanese archery club.

Set in a barren, futuristic Tokyo of highways and wastelands, a rowdy group of punk bands and their fans gather to protest slow, boring, Japanese living.

When Ken, the leader of the once-notorious biker gang of Tokyo, falls in love with a barmaid, he quickly loses his rebellious ideals. The rest of the gang feels betrayed, especially the reputedly troubled kid Jin who revolts against his former friend.

Kaori is pursuing her career as a journalist for a magazine with great enthusiasm. But as a result of an article she wrote, she is sent to work for a community magazine at Fukuoka. An anonymous letter arrives, which puts her in contact with an old and forgotten theater, the 'Minato Theater' in nearby Shimonoseki.

Two young girls, Mitsu and Natsuko, share the same apartment. Natsuko is Lesbian and secretly in love with Mitsu. But Mitsu is heterosexual and has a boyfriend. In the hope of destroying the relation between Mitsu and her boyfriend, Natsuko seduces the boyfriend and also tries to influence him in other ways.

Hiroshi Kobayashi is on the run from police who would arrest him for the murder of his girlfriend Naomi. At the same time, he wants revenge on the yakuza member Kimura who got her stuck in drugs. The entire film consists of a long hunting-scene.

Matsui's debut film, "Rusty Empty Can" (1979), was photographed by Sogo Ishii; nonetheless the film turned out to be a serious and emotionally painful one unlike Ishii's speedy roller-coaster movies. The film which depicts a homosexual relationship was successful at the many film festival held in Japan, including selection at the 1979 Pia Film Festival. "Rusty Empty Can" is still shown at theatres today as it has become the pioneer of cult movies with devoted fans and approval from Nagisa Oshima and Shuji Terayama.

Film directed by Ryuji Ohya.